Leon begins its Scandi expansion in Norway

Located in Oslo Central Station, Norway, the opening comes as a result of a franchise deal signed with UMOE Restaurants, and marks the first stage of the company’s Scandinavian expansion.

The menu, which is focused on healthy, convenient and ‘free-from’ eating, will be the same as in the UK, featuring items such as the fish finger wrap; the original super salad; and the Moroccan meatball hotbox.

Leon will simultaneously open a food truck in the city’s Aker Brygge pier, serving a condensed menu.

Leon now operates 54 restaurants and one food truck, and has ambitious rollout plans on these shores and further afield.

It has signed a deal with food travel specialist HMSHost International, which will result in 20 Leon sites opening across Europe over the next two years.

The two companies, which currently run nine Leons together in the UK and Netherlands, are looking to open more sites in transport hubs in Belgium, Germany and Scandinavia, as well as airports in France, Spain, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

This spring, Leon also teamed up with Aylmer Aaharn, the Thai food group co-owned by chef David Thomson, to launch a Thai pop-up in its one of its existing West End restaurants. The first link up between Leon and the Bangkok-based company, Tuk Shop serves Thai curries, noodles, rice dishes and salads using Leon’s fast food model.

LEON was founded in 2004 by John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby, along with well-known chef Allegra McEvedy, with the aim to make it easy for everybody to eat and live well.